By Dave Johnson
W&M Athletics
 
It was the spring of his freshman year at Parry McCluer High in Buena Vista, and KJ Cook was headed to baseball tryouts. A travel ball veteran, he was feeling hopeful about his chances — until realizing he had left his glove at home.
 
Too embarrassed to show up without it, Cook wandered back to the parking lot and came across Danny Cole, one of his football coaches. Cook admitted his predicament and Cole, who was coaching the throwers on Parry McCluer's track team, had a suggestion.
 
"He said, 'Well, since you don't have your baseball glove, why don't you try throwing?'" Cook recalled. "And ever since then, I've been a thrower."
 
A pretty good one at that. Wednesday in Jacksonville, Florida, Cook will compete in the NCAA East Preliminary for the third time in his three outdoor seasons. He is seeded 21st in the hammer throw and must finish in the top 12 to advance to the NCAA Championships in Eugene, Oregon.
 
Despite the pandemic's interruption last spring, Cook has had a productive career at William & Mary. He has qualified for the East Preliminary in the hammer, the discus, and the shot put. As a sophomore in 2019, he finished 24th in the discus at the NCAA Championships.
 
Earlier this month, Cook was named the Most Outstanding Field Athlete in the Colonial Athletic Association Championships for the second time. He won both the hammer and shot put and took second in the discus that weekend.
 
On the school's all-time list, Cook is second in the discus and fifth in the hammer throw.
 
"KJ's an incredibly hard worker and an incredibly determined kid," said Alex Heacock, W&M's director of track & field. "He takes what he does very seriously and he wants to be really good. When you have that kind of combination, really good things can happen.
 
"He's had a lot of success, but that success hasn't come easy. It's been a lot of hard work and continued dedication during vacations and breaks, things like that. He's always working, and what more could you ask for as a coach?"
 
Even last spring, when he couldn't work on his throws at William & Mary or his high school because of the pandemic, Cook found a way.
 
"You find a patch of grass somewhere and you can adjust accordingly," said Cook, who just received his B.B.A. in finance. "Throw heavier weights so you don't throw it as far. You can make it work."
 
This outdoor season, Cook has seven wins, six coming in the hammer throw. He set his lifetime best in the hammer throw at last weekend's Mount Olive First Chance qualifier at 65.74 meters, or 215 feet, 8 inches. That's the fifth-longest throw in program history.
 
As for Wednesday afternoon's first round, Cook's only goal is to do well enough to move on.
 
"A lot of people shoot for certain distances, and that's nice and all," he said. "But at the end of the day, the goal is to end up in that top 12 to make it to finals.
 
"Really, it's a matter of showing up and doing what you can to get to that top 12 as opposed to shooting for a certain distance. You really just look at the competition and see what you have to get done."
 
In 2019, the 12th and final qualifier had a best throw of 66.38 meters.
 
"But it's a year to year to thing," he said. "It's a matter of adjusting to whatever the competitive environment is that day."
 
Having been to the East Preliminary two times previously, Cook believes, is a benefit.
 
"As the years go on, you get a little more comfortable with the setting and how the meet is run," he said.
 
"It's a little different. There are only three attempts for the throws. Figuring out how to plan your warm-up and your three throws, it definitely helps with those prior experiences."
 
Also qualified for Jacksonville are redshirt junior Michael Fairbanks in the pole vault and freshmen Jared O'Riley and Chris Arias in the javelin.
 
Fairbanks, who is ranked fifth, set a school record two months ago at 5.43m (17-9.75). Earlier this month, he became the second male ever to win three consecutive CAA championships in the pole vault.
 
"Michael has a regional meet under his belt from 2019, and I think that experience will serve him well," Heacock said. "I think he's got a strong chance of advancing. He's dealt with some injuries this year, but he's handled things well."
 
O'Riley is seeded 34th after winning the CAA Championships with a lifetime-best throw of 66.71m (218-10). Arias (48th) qualified last week by throwing 63.84m (209-5) at Mount Olive.
 
"Those guys are coming along well," Heacock said. "Arias just threw his personal best last weekend, so that was exciting to see. He's put himself in position to throw well (Wednesday).
 
"And Jared, his best performances have come in the last couple of meets. I'm excited to see what those guys bring."